claiming the newbie
by Karin Serendipity
Summary: To be honest, her eyes are beautiful: they have a deadly, acidic look to them, like there is risk just looking into them. They remind him of ninhydrin - the pretty violet stain they use to fingerprint criminals; maybe one day that purple will stain his fingers and he'll think of her. / TeenageRocket


**Prompt: **_**cold embrace**_

When he exhales there appears a puff of air, he knows it is because his breath is warmer than the night air. He shivers and tightens the hold he has around himself. Lowly intern is what he knows himself as, but others have called him Mondo: he supposes that isn't too bad of a name, so he claims it as his own name. "Mondo," he whispers as a cold breeze hits him. The winds are getting wilder as the night progresses and they push against him. He's been gone for a while now; long enough to make people wonder where the newbie is and if he is coming back. Maybe he'll remember his real name and his parents out here.

Maybe he'll die out here.

He takes another step, foot sinking into the snow.

* * *

"Giovanni, you cannot take a kid in and then let him run rampant out in the freezing cold!" She's talking, but the man in the suit doesn't need instruction on how to care for his own Team Rocket; he didn't let the kid out, the kid snuck past security cameras and out the front door. It wasn't his fault that no one tried to stop Mondo. Maliciously, he examines his prize from all this: the daughter he never wanted. Domino's not like the newbie, she never had parents to take care of her and she gave herself that name, but people know her as Black Tulip. Black Tulip kicks ass, is dangerous and mysterious; Domino is lonely.

"Go after him then," Giovanni dryly says to her, waving a hand in dismissal. It is like giving her a new mission.

With a look that could break hearts, she replies: "I will," and leaves to go off into the night's cold embrace. It welcomes her with open arms.

* * *

By this time, Mondo's laying down, curled up around himself and waiting for someone to help him back home. She approaches like a beacon of hope, like an angel. Even the muted colors of a winter's night can't stop her from glowing.

"Mondo," she sighs: relieved. They are the same age, but she's been doing this for years and it is his first day. Something about her breaks as she kneels down and presses a hand to his forehead; suddenly, she looks her age. "This is a way to get yourself killed, you know."

Her voice is hard when she speaks, but her expression twists his heart until he swears his heart feels like it will just _pop!. _He stares up at her with those sweet brown eyes of his.

"Stop staring at me," she says, looking away. Her cheeks are red from the cold, but there is a new heat in them as she blushes from this sort of attention he is giving her.

His gaze fades out of existence and he can't control the words tumbling from his mouth, "I want my parents." The words are only a whisper from his blue lips; Domino pities him because she can't understand his desires.

She sighs, "We have to get you back to headquarters or you are going to die. Put your arms around my neck if you can." She instructs him in soft tones that seem so unlike herself that she takes Mondo's attention back for a moment as he obeys her faithfully by wrapping his arms around her neck. She does the rest of the work and heaves him up from the ground whilst the wind whips around them; she stands her ground, then sets off towards the building in the distance.

"Domino," he sighs almost dreamily - greedily nuzzling into her heat. Her crystal colored eyes widen. No one calls her by the name she's given herself; she's never let anyone that close, Giovanni being the only exception. The young man in her arms presses his cold nose against her neck, which has her suppressing a shudder. A pleasant hum slips from his lips and he starts up a song that she feels familiar with but can't figure out why. His lips accidentally brush her neck when he moves and it causes Domino to shiver.

"Stop moving around," Domino whispers, her voice wavering until she has to clear her throat. Mondo stills, parting his lips and letting his warm breath hit her skin. Maybe he is doing this on purpose, she thinks, but all of this just reminds her just how long she's been away from human contact. "Mondo," she whispers, "Stop that."

He chuckles, or gurgles in what is his attempt at a laugh before speaking, "What? Breathing?" His cheekiness is refreshing to her and finally she sees the building in full silhouette. Soon she will be able to let go of this boy and fix herself a cup of coffee. A sigh slips free as she is thinking about the delicious warmth that will soon welcome her back to the office.

He starts that hum again and Domino freezes midstep as she listens intently, she recognizes the tone right away and greedily tilts her head so she can listen to him. "I've heard that before." She whispers softly, eyes warm and clouded with slight confusion. What she hopes is that he tells her what the song is, but he just continues humming.

After another quiet moment, she picks her pace back up. "My mother used to sing it to me, I think. I can't remember, but I think everyone sang that song to their children," Mondo says quietly and uncertainly, nuzzling closer sneakily.

Then she realizes where she's heard it: Giovanni. She blushes; maybe she hadn't just been a pawn to him. Domino always thought she had raised herself, but Giovanni had done _something _at least.

Mondo shakes her free from her realization, "Why did you come for me?" He asks her in an oddly subdued tone, no longer did he have the previous fervor of a thawing boy.

"Mondo, you would've died out here. You are part of this team now. Life doesn't stop here. I don't know your life story and quite frankly I don't care to know it, but you can't just run away to fix this problem." She huffs, arms finally screaming in protest of holding this boy for so long, "Can you walk?" She asks and when he shrugs in response, she places him on the ground and watches him take a shaky step. They are almost at the building's front doors.

"I -" Mondo begins, but is cut off by an icy glare.

If looks could kill then Mondo would've died twice. "You _chose _to be a member so stop whining," she orders as her rank allows her to.

The boy flinches, "I was _kidnapped._" Then he is pushing his way through the snow and into the building, no longer waiting on a shocked Domino.

She didn't believe that.

* * *

She's elite for a reason; she's good at her job. Everyone is aware of how good, so no one is surprised when they see Domino swipe her card and then _suddenly_ the camera in the file room glitches out. She's private and would rather stupid Grunts not watch what she is doing. She riffles through the cabinets until she finds what she's looking for: **M - Mondo**_**. **_A previous name had been sloppily crossed out on the tab of the folder, but that isn't why she is here. She opens the folder and her mind collects information like his height, weight, hometown, and presumed date of birth. There is a fake birth certificate for him with a post-it saying: _certificate not found on site. _Her eyes skim the paper until she finds what she is looking for; the documents say Mondo is an _orphan - both parents had died in a fire and his father had been involved in Team Rocket. Upon arrival to the headquarters, Mondo's memory had been attempted to be erased fully, but the procedure was a failure and he can remember vague details._

Domino's lips form a perfect "o" while she's reading his file and when she is finished, she stuffs the folder neatly back into its slot. A folder somewhere in the "**D**" cabinet calls to her, but she would rather not know her past.

* * *

"I request a partner," she says unflinchingly. Giovanni leans forward interested, resting his chin on his folded hands. There is suspicion in his eyes as he examines the young girl standing before him that he knows so well. He reaches for a paper with a hand, poising his other hand above the intercom. "Mondo," she gulps, watching Giovanni closely to see if he disapproves of this decision.

His finger holds down the button. "Mondo to room 4C," is all he says before releasing the button and jotting something down on the piece of paper. He smiles at Domino and that smile wavers, then shrinks. "I hope you are sure about this decision. A partner is a big step and you act wonderfully alone," he compliments.

Domino nods, "Yes. He is going to be my office boy for now." Maybe she's chosen the wrong words, but she wants to have Mondo somewhere within reach. "Thank you, Giovanni, sir."

* * *

_Bang. _He swipes a keycard and the door closes behind him, this part of the building is locked more thoroughly. It is his first time here in this part of the building and he walks down another narrow hallway, then swipes his keycard again. The door opens up to an office that looks too friendly for the bleak hallway that leads to it.

"Swipe the card," a voice instructs monotonously, "If you don't, it'll trigger a lockdown." Team Rocket tries to keep everyone safe under lock and key (card). Mondo looks for the owner of the familiar voice and finds her standing by a coffeemaker. Again, but now with a growl, she repeats her order: "Swipe it."

He does just that, but doesn't move from his spot. His first thoughts are that he is in trouble, but _why? _Wouldn't she have already punished him if he were in trouble for running away? He stands there awkwardly, preparing for whatever punishment she wishes to give him.

She extends a mug of coffee his way, tilting her head to the right. "Cream and sugar over there. I drink mine black first thing in the morning, but then grant myself plenty of cream - vanilla only - every cup after. Help yourself anytime." Her tone takes on a friendly edge that catches a glimpse of a rare side of Domino; Mondo feels ice cold with surprise as he steps forward to accept the mug. The mug's warmth is heavenly in his hands, but he hates black coffee, so he dashes to pour in sugar and a small bit of cream.

"Thank you," he says politely, but means more than just for the coffee. Domino grins and walks over to lean on her desk.

The curtains are drawn, but the sky outside is bleak: winter. Mondo shudders, preferring the warmer seasons. Faintly he wonders if she'll get angry if he closes them. He takes the risk and turns back around to find Domino with her eyes closed as she sips at her coffee. "We are partners now, well, you won't be accompanying me on missions, but you'll be my partner nonetheless. You can help others as well since I'm not always around," her voice is all business and monotone as she speaks to him, her eyes open slowly.

To be honest, her eyes are beautiful: they have a deadly, acidic look to them, like there is risk just looking into them. They remind him of ninhydrin - the pretty violet stain they use to fingerprint criminals; maybe one day that purple will stain his fingers and he'll think of her. He doesn't know how to react to this news; he supposes it is meant to be good news: maybe the best news even, but it makes him feel numb.

She senses his distress, but there is a certain incapability to comfort him. It would change who Domino was at her core. Never did she receive comfort, nor did she give it. She would be patient for him though, because he is confused and hurt: _lonely. _This boy squints his eyes as though the thoughts in his head are all jumbled up; she vaguely wonders how much they potentially screwed up inside his head.

"Mondo?" She asks gently after a moment, kicking the chair in front of her so it slides back to him. He sits down, still looking like he is in deep thought. She says his name again, drawing him from his thoughts.

"Domino," he says with a tiny grin on his face, "Am I going to get my own desk?"

The innocence in his voice is enough to bring a quiet smile to her own lips. After a moment of silent admiration, she lets a giggle slip free: it is rare and fleeting and he finally has her feeling like a kid. "Yes, you'll get your very own desk."

**AN: I LOVE THIS SHIPPING OKAY GUYS. CUTIES TO THE MAX. Part of the competition. Review?**


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